The recession is prompting Mayor Mike Seferian to reconsider the proposed construction of a concession/restroom facility that would serve the new South Recreation Complex.

“As you know, we had budgeted money for a concession stand and restroom facility,” Seferian said to council at a committee of the whole meeting on Nov. 1. “With the budgetary concerns we have, to proceed to build that right now, things are kind of at a holdup.”

The facility, which would be located on city owned property off Starr Extension Avenue west of the access drive and parking lots in the middle of the soccer and flag football fields, is estimated to cost $240,000, he said.

The Recreation & Parks Committee considered reducing the size or altering the proposed facility, said Seferian.

“That was something I wasn’t prepared to do,” he said.

He and Administrator Mike Beazley do not want the project to be financed with money from the General Fund, he said.

“Mr. Beazley and I are working on a different concept to fund this rather than taking general fund money to actually build this facility. The one thing we don’t want to do is fund this concession stand/restroom facility with our incoming revenues. We’re going to make it stand on its own merits, and we believe we can do that,” said Seferian.

Ohio hunters and trappers preparing to pursue furbearers will find good populations of these animals during the 2010-2011 season, which begins for most furbearing species on Nov. 10, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

"Food sources and habitat conditions for furbearers have been good this year across Ohio," said Suzie Prange, wildlife biologist with the Division of Wildlife. "Fur takers can expect a good season."

For the sixth year, 43 counties will be open for river otter trapping from December 26 to February 28. River otters were reintroduced into four Ohio watersheds between 1986 and 1993 and have increased their range in the state. They were removed from the state endangered species list in 2002. Full details of open counties, checking and permit requirements can be found in the Ohio River Otter Trapping Regulations.

In most regions of Ohio, hunting and trapping seasons for fox, raccoon, opossum, skunk and weasel open Nov. 10 and close Jan. 31, 2010. The trapping season for mink and muskrat is open Nov. 10 through Feb. 28, 2011.

Exceptions are Erie, Ottawa and Sandusky counties, and in Lucas County east of the Maumee River where raccoon, opossum, skunk, weasel, mink and muskrat trapping seasons will remain open through March 15, 2011.

Voters in the Genoa and Elmore areas showed strong support for the Harris-Elmore Public Library, passing a levy request Tuesday by more than a 22 percent margin: 2,799 – for to 1,782 – against, according to unofficial results.

The 1.1-mill levy will generate about $250,000 a year and marks the first time the library, which is based in Elmore and has a branch in Genoa, has gone to voters for local millage.

Georgiana Huizenga, library director, said the library’s board of trustees will meet Monday to discuss restoration of services that have been cut due to budgetary constraints.

Cuts in state funding resulted in the hours at both libraries being reduced by a third.

With revenues from the levy not being collected until February, however, hours are not likely to be restored until after the first of the year, Huizenga said.

She credited the efforts of volunteers who promoted the levy.

“I am very proud of the communities of Elmore and Genoa coming together to pass the first ever library levy,” she said. “Two communities: one library system. We are very grateful to all of our supporters and to the levy committee that worked so hard. We are very excited that we will be better able to serve our patrons.”

If you drive down Main Street in Genoa, you will find the kinds of businesses you typically find in a small town: bars, restaurants, a doctor’s office, a law firm. But you will also find an establishment that seems out of place. Located across the street from The Bharmacy and adjacent to The Hour Glass Inn is a marketing firm known as Pearson & Pearson.

Places like Pearson & Pearson are not typically supposed to exist in Small Town, Ohio. A hip, refined marketing firm that markets alcoholic products, it’s run by young, savvy professionals. Normally, you’d think to find a place like this somewhere in a major city.

With just five employees, it’s a small company that’s big in stature and demeanor.

Pearson & Pearson, which has been in existence for just over a year, was founded by Brian Pearson. He’s a man with a vision, plain and simple. The 35-year old former Marine, who was born and raised in Genoa, is the embodiment of a true entrepreneur. His unconventional, “outside-the-box” style of thinking and way of doing things is what helps create a business environment where creative and interesting ideas are the norm. That, as well as the passion and hard work put forth by Pearson and his employees.